Showing 8 results

SUMMARY:
The party stays in the Dzongpen’s guest quarters, sends presents to Bumthang, and arranges future mail to India via Neoli instead of Dewangiri to avoid the wet march to Darrang Mela; the Dzongpen is very hospitable and even takes up shooting sparrows. On 29 June they make a short, mostly downhill march to Trashigong with the Jongpen, passing cultivated hills near Pinhogong (Rongtung) and noting the Dangme Chu (Trashiyangsi Chu) below.

CONTENT:
boxes and stores. The Dzongpen has two quite pleasant quarters for guests, and had made a place for our servants. We sent off all presents for Bumthang and arranged for the first mail to go to India today. It will go by Dewangiri, but we are arranging that in future it should go by Neoli, so as to miss the wet march from Dewangiri to Darrang Mela. The Dzongpen is not likely to worry us for shooting birds, as he saw my two rifles yesterday and immediately took both out and started potting sparrows himself. He is being as kind as Bhutan officials always have been, and provides everything. In fact he provides far too much, and we are not allowed to pay for anything if he can help it.

29th June TO TRASHIGONG 5 miles. (205.2° = 3574'. Temp. 81°.

Sent off all loads about 10 am and followed with the Jongpen at 11.30. A very short march, steep down for the first mile over a small side valley. Then the road is well graded, slightly downhill, through open hillside. The hills are cultivated here and there, but there are signs that formerly there used to be a great deal of cultivation near here. Pinhogong is the RONGTUNG of the map, or near it. Below Trashigong flows the Dangme Chu (Trashiyangsi Chu) a fine big swift

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes mixed inhabitants from Dewangiri, Trongsa, and the Tawang area, focusing on the 'takpa' people's distinctive attire. They praise the strong bamboo huts built for the party and note fine weather. After requesting a photo of a 'takpa' and expressing interest in shooting a tragopan/monal, the Jongpen promptly summoned several takpas and sent a man to assist.

CONTENT:
opened up by the present Jongpen's father or himself. The inhabitants are very mixed. Some are from Dewangiri, some from Trongsa and probably some from Tawang area. There are many 'takpas', the people who wear a hat shaped to the head made of thick felt and having tails hanging down in three or four places round the edge. They only wear a queer little felt patch hanging over their bottoms, presumably to sit on. The huts made for us yesterday and today are perfectly wonderful buildings. Nothing but bamboo is used in making them, and they are strong, airy and light. We had a heavy shower of rain last evening, but they proved pretty watertight after the first few minutes. Today was again a fine bright day, and we are certainly having most excellent weather. I told the Jongpen that I wanted to take a photo of a 'takpa' today, expecting one to be produced at once. But nothing happened for a couple of hours, then a dozen came in. He had sent for them from a village miles away. He orders anything that we mention we would like at once. We mentioned that we were anxious to shoot a tragopan monal. He sent a man at

SUMMARY:
A Jongpen provided sugar, dried fruit, and a rifle for a potentially dangerous journey to the Lola, and is praised—along with the Chayul Jongpens—as helpful and pro-British. On 3 November at Yar Shika, the party travelled in fine weather; Ludlow went on ahead, and the writer reviewed the first part of Damon’s collection while contending with strong winds and uncertain information about the Karta-Pula Dza La route between Trashi Trongme and Tsuna. On 4 November at Shio Dzong, conditions were again good with peaks clearing by morning.

CONTENT:
should be made, she says he did it with great success. Sugar & kishmish were provided by the Jongpen. The latter said that perhaps they would be in danger going to the Lola that they should take a rifle with them. He gave one, & made them take it, which I think was extremely good of him. He gave a great deal of help all the way, & undoubtedly he & the Chayul Jongpens are very nice helpful people, & both very pro-British.

3rd November. Yar Shika. 11500? 12 m. A perfect day. Left at 6.30, in at 1.30 pm. Ludlow went on further from here, & I believe transport was very late. Went over the first 45 of Damon's collection, they are very uninteresting so far. But we are reaching the more interesting zone. I'm afraid he missed a great deal. There is a perfectly hellish wind here tonight, though there was hardly any till 3.0 pm. I can find out nothing about the Karta-Pula Dza La route, though one man said two days from Trashi Trongme to Tsuna, which is obviously all wrong.

4th November. Shio Dzong 15m. 13200' Another perfect day: all the peaks are cloudy, but clear by 7.0 am. There were no gymnosperms in

SUMMARY:
Halted in rain; the Jongpen asked to go to Trashigang for dancing during a Bhutan festival called Tü, and with few flowers or ferns left they began collecting fungi. The next day, still halted at Rocha Chu in heavy rain, the party split up to hunt “binain dum” birds, with Puibo, Ludlow, and Danang taking different guns and achieving mixed results, including a shot that struck both the bird and the narrator.

CONTENT:
94

23rd Sept. Halted. The weather broke again, and it
Rhod. lindleyi 976 rained all day. The Jongpen came up yesterday
to ask if he could go to Trashigang for the
dancing. This is some kind of 'Bara Din' in
Bhutan, called Tü. As there are no flowers
Fungi. left now, and we have most of the local ferns, we
Calocera viscosa 973 have started collecting fungus. But we cannot give
Amylaria himalaica 974? them the proper treatment. They just get dried in the bird
Craterellus cornucopioides 977 tent.
Stereum multizonatum 978

24th Sept. Halted. Rain most of the day, and heavily
Rocha Chu all afternoon. As this was our last day here, and
Birds we still wanted some "binain dum" birds
(puepygas) we split up. Puibo took the 12 bore,
Ludlow and I had the 410's and Danang took the 22
rifle. The result was hardly as good as we
expected. Puibo blew one to bits by being far
too close, Ludlow and I saw none, and Danang, who
saw four, missed them all, as he did not
understand the aim of the rifle. But I met him,
and gave him some instruction. After that he and
I heard one, and stalked it. During the stalk
he managed to place the bird between us. There
is no stopping Danang if he sees a 'binain dum',
and he fired, getting the bird and bits of me beyond.

SUMMARY:
The party reaches Sakden near the Gamri Chu, noting ample water, fuel, grazing, and a nearby gompa with a Tawang lama. On 5th July they halt at Sakden, finding few flowers in bloom, observing local clothing and village life, and practicing rifle shooting with the Jongpen and his men.

CONTENT:
than to Bhutanese. Over the pass the path drops easily to Sakden near the Gamri Chu. Water & fuel ample, excellent grazing & many sheep & yaks. Some barley available. There is a gompa with a Tawang lama above Sakden. //

5th July. SAKDEN. Halted. This place has been rather a disappointment. It was so nice to get out of the hot steaming valleys down below that we thought this would be a fine place. But there are no flowers out now. All are over. We have seen traces of one primula, but that is all. Birds too are not so interesting as they might be. The people are pleasant, happy, shy & full of life. They must lead a hard & difficult life at times, but are none the worse of that. This is the only place where I have seen villages in Bhutan, Sakden consisting of 60-70 houses all together. The Takpas & Drugpas wear thick woollen clothes, black or red, & have these funny little 'seats' made of thick felt, which hang down behind, & are used for sitting on. A most excellent idea in a wet climate. They also have Inverness cloaks, exactly as at home - another useful garment. We have had some rifle practice with the Jongpen & his men, followed by games &

[Margin notes]
6th June
Sakden.
Rhod. Thomsoni 595
Prim. strumosa 597
" Waltoni 598
" Sikkimensis 599
" Glabra 602
" Gambelliana 608
" Involucrata 610
" Gambelliana 611
" Strumosa 612
Mec. grandis 609
Rhod. campanulatum 605
" wightii 606
Berberis lichiangensis var. sakdenensis 604

• But see June 6th! p. 20

SUMMARY:
Notes describe views of Singhi Dzong and the Kuru Chu gorge, photographing types and views at Lala, and local reactions to camp gear and flowers (including delphinium used as a 'louse killer'). The Jongpen has gone to Lhasa with Williamson, affecting transport, while the party camps in a sheltered field and tends seedlings amid wind and impending frost.

CONTENT:
B 27.
View up side valley - Singhi Dzong: from bridge over Kuru Chu looking up: from ridge above looking down gorge.
Types & views at Lala.
Petunias

Their name for the delphinium is "louse killer". I suppose they imagine we carry it about for that purpose. They make it into a paste & put it in their clothes. The box of flowers also causes great amusement. But when we arrive in camp, the greatest attraction is seeing a camp bed & chair put together. Everyone will close round & just stand & gaze at it. The scenery yesterday was fine - the gorge of the Kuru Chu, the little villages we passed through; and the people themselves - all were interesting. The Jongpen here has gone to Lhasa with Williamson, so has his steward, so I don't know how we will fare for transport. His wife acts in his place. The Dzong is a fine building on a rock in the valley, with a gompa below it. Our camp is in a lovely green field, surrounded by trees & out of the strong wind. The seedlings seem to have lasted well so far, but the wind will be a trial to them here. It is so dry & different to what they are used to. I water them twice a day, with that perhaps all will be well. There will soon be frost, then presumably I can let them dry off. Last night we were both pretty ill-tempered for a while. When we reached here in the dark, we found that the man responsible had sent all our kit to the

SUMMARY:
The party halts at Towa, where the Jongpen, newly returned from Lhasa, invites them to stay another day for dinner. They plan to travel to Nangartse by the route between Pomo and the Yamdrok Tsos, arrange transport changes at Lalung, Monda La, Ling, and Nangartse, and note local transport rates between Singhi Dzong, Lala, and Towa.

CONTENT:
local serai, a filthy yard and much filthier hovel of a home. But Ludlow soon stirred him up, and we were taken to this camping ground, which we recognize from White's book as the place he was meant to camp.

6th Sept. Halted at Towa. In the evening we heard that the Jongpen had just come back from Lhasa and would like us to stop another day and have dinner with him. Rather against our will we agreed to. In the meantime we had asked about the route to Nangartse. There are three routes — one to the East which Williamson took: one to the West to Pomotsongo and one between the Pomo and Yamdrok Tsos. This is the one we wanted to go by, and curiously enough it was the one suggested by the Jongpen's men. No one has been by it yet: we will see both lakes and if clear Kulu Kangri and the main range to the West of it. And I think we have gained our point that we want to have transport only changed at Lalung, Monda La, Ling and Nangartse. That will make an enormous difference. We can't get over the transport rates here. The rate from Singhi Dzong to Lala — a very hard 12 mile march was 1 tanka per animal or 1/2 tanka per coolie. From there on to Towa is 5 miles, but the coolies have not yet come in for their pay. I suppose they are not used to

SUMMARY:
Describes sheer cliffs and numerous waterfalls en route to Lhahang from Homa, including a measured 13.5-second drop, and a sudden shift from wet conifer jungle to a dry shrub zone near Homa Chu. Notes disagreement with White’s elevation, local threshing and fruit (peaches and gooseberries; no apricots), discreet collecting of birds and butterflies, and a request to the Jongpen to collect Delphinium seeds (499).

CONTENT:
79

B. 26.
Waterfalls on the way to Lhahang from Homa.

Cliffs on the right bank are very nearly perpendicular and very high indeed. Many side streams come in, but their valleys are all so narrow that most come down as waterfalls. One fall we saw was, we thought, about 800 ft. sheer. The water took 13 1/2 secs. to reach the bottom, but then it was all spray by that time. We crossed

View up Homa Chu from near Lhahang.

to the North face and there the conifer jungle was thick. There was some lichen on the trees, but already a great difference could be seen. Suddenly, when we rounded a shoulder, we were straight from the wet to the dry zone, where there were no conifers, little grass, and only shrubs as vegetation. The suddenness was extraordinary. I don't agree with White's height of

Men and women of Lhahang threshing with flails

9,500' here but think 12,000 more like it. Crops are ripe and being threshed now. There are many wild peach trees in the cultivated area, but I doubt if they will ever ripen. Gooseberries are not bad, though barely ripe. White remarks that there is a large trade in dried apricots: there are no apricots at all - only peaches. We managed on the quiet to get three birds and a number of butterflies, but we must be very careful now. The Jongpen is a nice old thing, keen on flowers. I made use of that by asking him

Delph. grandiflorum

to collect some Delphinium seeds (499) and send them